Signal Past at Danger
by The Navigator
Summary: A driver learns a valuable lesson in why not to speed one cold night.
1. Never Exceed Speed

**Short Stories**

* * *

**SPAD**

Matt Barker was sitting in a Northern Freight and Passenger Road train that had 2 F-7s in Burlington Northern paint, and 19 cars and a Burlington Northern Caboose. Matt had been a NFP engineer for three years, this year was his first year on public roads (the previous two years were in NFP yards.) Matt grabbed the horn cord, blasting the horn. BBBBHHHHHAAAAATTTTTTTT. Matt Barker was a 16 year old guy, who dropped out of high school his freshman year, he was about 6' 0", 130 pounds, had brown hair, he wore brown work boots, orange overalls, a fire coat from a friend in New York and FDNY ball cap.

Ahead, over the road was a rectangular yellow sign with the pictogram warning of a traffic light ahead and two flashing amber lamps. Matt was late as it was and he ignored the sign and roared past it at 50 miles per hour. Ahead the traffic light was green but the time was about up and it changed to yellow. The light was a single 3 lamp traffic signal, but an unusual addition at signals at this intersection was a black and yellow striped plate surrounding it to draw attention to it presence.

At the intersection was Becky Blackburn (the Local high band director), she was on her way home from chaperoning the prom that evening. As he approached the intersection the light changed from Yellow to Red, Matt was now about 50 feet from the intersection. Damn it. He yelled.

Then he saw his worse nightmare, Becky's (he was unaware who it was) car begin to move into the intersection. Matt shoved the brake lever into the "Emergency Brake" position and steered to avoid the car.

BAM! He hit the car, the driver's door taking a direct hit from the knuckle coupler used to connect cars. The car skidded away from the lead unit. The unit began to roll as Matt swerved, the unit hit a dirt pile from a construction crew and the lead, second and first three cars rolled over, skidding across the pavement. The unit came to a stop about 40 feet passed the intersection.

In the caboose conductor Tom Athearn and brakeman Thumper Frombaugh were watching in horror as NFP cars flipped over, getting closer to the caboose. Then Tom suddenly jumped out of the cupola where he was sitting. Seconds later a NFP boxcar sheered the cupola off the top of the caboose. (Thumper was sitting at the table.)The air was filled with the sounds of cars hitting each other, someone screaming, cars grinding along the road surface. Then silence. Tom grabbed a flash light and ran out of the caboose followed by Thumper.

Matt had come up to the car as a few police officers arrived. "Damn, Damn!" He yelled looking at the car. Meanwhile Tom & Thumper were running the length of the train to the accident scene. "Shit, shit!" Yelled Tom as it began to rain. They ran down the length of the train with a work lantern. "Oh no;" said Tom. Crap in the hat! Yelled Thumper seeing the intersection. Matt was being handcuffed by two police officers. They ran over. "How bad?" Asked Tom. "Bad;" Said an officer.


	2. Back in the Hot Seat

**SPAD Part 2- Back In The Hot Seat.**

Two years after the accident Matt was working for NFP again, though condemned for the move, Mr. Ted knew Matt had learned his lesson. Matt had; Becky lost her left arm in the crash, though still in work and doing fine, and forgiving Matt, Matt was seldom seen in the same room with her. Matt lost his license for a year and had to retake all the tests for his licenses, except they were harder. He spent a year in Jive. His motivation to get out was his girlfriend Alice, who stayed in touch with him via letters.

Matt since then can't stand red light runners and has on five occlusions, when he had the right of way hit them, he also speaks to new NFP drivers about the hazards, penalties, and loss of violating traffic laws.

One snowy day he was driving a NFP GP-49 in Alaska Railroad's black and gold scheme. He was accompanied by Thumper and Tom. He was approaching a rail crossing with a short, 5 cars and a caboose, train. Ahead was a school bus loaded with kids was sitting on the tracks.

Matt brought the unit to a stop while Thumper stepped off to see what the problem was. Thumper walked up to the driver's window.

"What's the problem?" He asked. It's stuck and the door broke and I can't get it open. It was an older bus and it had no rear emergency door. Ding, ding, ding! Went a crossing bell, Thumper turned to the crossing sign and saw the lights flash and then could see the train. The train crew jumped clear. Thumper ran up to the end of the bus and patted his head several times.

The signal meant 'Vehicle disabled, incapable of movement.' Tom had started up to the front. Matt grabbed his radio. "Tom unhook the engine;" He yelled. "Why? Asked Tom. "I'm going to shove it off;" Said Matt, Tom quickly did, shutting the valve for the brake line. Matt nudged the unit up to the back of the bus. A phrase a kid in Jive told him (who he was still friends with him) came to mind as he shoved the throttle forward. "Act with integrity. No regrets" The bus started moving forward. Then the wheels crossed the last rail and really started moving. Matt looked toward the left window, the cab had cleared the crossing. BAM! The train hit the locomotive dead center, splitting it in half and dragging it about 100 feet, the unit still upright. The train roared on, the brakes throwing sparks as it slowed down. Thumper and Tom thought they just saw their best friend die. Then Matt leaned out the window "Yeah!" He yelled throwing his fist into the air. He had just repaid his debt by saving what turned out to be 57 lives.


End file.
